


The Last She-Ra

by hansadlo



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: 3rd person Mara (She-Ra), Eternia (She-Ra), Etheria (She-Ra), Gen, Light Hope (She-Ra) Training Mara, Other, Past Mara (She-Ra), Young Mara (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:02:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24991246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hansadlo/pseuds/hansadlo
Summary: A thousand years ago, Etheria chose a hero: Mara, She-Ra of Etheria. With the Sword of Protection given to her by her people, the Eternians, later known as the 'First Ones,' she will embark on her journey to become the protector of Etheria. This story follows Mara through her early years as She-Ra, and delves a little deeper into the era of the First Ones.
Relationships: Light Hope/Mara (She-Ra), Serenia/Mara (She-Ra)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 26
Collections: She-Ra, She-Ra 2018





	1. Etheria's Hero

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I have done as much research as I can on the First Ones, Light Hope, and of course, Mara. Much of this story will be of my own, but all information from the show and the characters themselves are credited to the Crew-Ra and it's creator, Noelle! If you have any questions or comments about my interpretations, please let me know! I would love to hear your opinions!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thousand years ago, Etheria chose a hero: Mara, She-Ra of Etheria. With the Sword of Protection given to her by her people, the Eternians, later known as the 'First Ones,' she will embark on her journey to become the protector of Etheria. This story follows Mara through her early years as She-Ra, and delves a little deeper into the era of the First Ones.
> 
> This short prologue gives a glimpse into the beginning of Mara's training with Light Hope on Etheria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I have done as much research as I can on the First Ones, Light Hope, and of course, Mara. Much of this story will be of my own, but all information from the show and the characters themselves are credited to the Crew-Ra and it's creator, Noelle! If you have any questions or comments about my interpretations, please let me know! I would love to hear your opinions!

_Breathe. Breathe, Mara. Don’t give up yet._

Words she thought to herself as she lay on the ground, eyes closed, trying to catch her breath. This was the fifth time today that she’d been knocked off her feet, the fifth time she’d have to listen to Light Hope tell her that her performance was ‘unsatisfactory,’ which was the only word she seemed to use during training lately. It had only been about a week since she’d begun training, but to Mara, it had felt like an eternity. She _hated_ complaining, not just because she was ‘the most powerful being in Etheria,’ but because she was _chosen_ to be Etheria’s hero, She-Ra. So, she swallowed her pride and stood up for the fifth time.

“Your strike power has improved since your last try, Mara.” Light Hope was affirming her? This was new. “However, your performance is still unsatisfactory.” There it was.

“Are you _sure_ you weren’t programmed to kill me?” Mara was joking, of course. She tried to joke with Light Hope, but since she was a program, it wasn’t easy. Light Hope’s expression never changed, her voice never changed, she never laughed or smiled. It was very different from the people Mara had grown up with on her home planet of Eternia. 

Light Hope’s tone changed ever so slightly, denying Mara’s question. “My primary purpose is to train She-Ra, my programming prevents me from endangering your life.” Mara shook her head, laughing a bit, “I’m just kidding, I know that.” Light Hope’s questioning tone was used this time, “Kidding? I will add that to my memory bank.” 

Mara slowly made her way over to the sword that she’d dropped in the middle of fighting the bugs Light Hope had generated to train her. _The sword_. She’d held it for the first time a week before, when her people presented her with it and named her She-Ra of Etheria. They had called it ‘The Sword of Protection’, a very interesting name for a weapon. Despite having never held a sword in her life, it felt natural to Mara, like it was made for her. In truth, it was. She was the first She-Ra to wield the sword, though she wasn’t the first She-Ra. Mara often wondered about them, about why they made the sword for her. Whenever she asked Light Hope, she said it was a way to help her control her abilities, to master her power as She-Ra.

Bending down, Mara picked up the sword, catching a glimpse of her reflection in the blade. Wow. She’d turned back to normal when she’d hit the ground, and she looked _terrible_ . Even still, she knew training wasn’t over yet. She needed to meet her quota while using her skills the _right_ way, since smashing things left and right didn’t seem to be working. “Mara, you need to focus less on your strength and more on precision. The sword amplifies your power, it is a tool.” She gave Light Hope a nod, “Okay, let’s go again.” She’d get it this time.

Taking a deep breath, Mara lifted the sword into the air, initiating her transformation into She-Ra. The transformation always made Mara feel strong, powerful. She could feel the magic running through her, through the sword. It was almost _overwhelming_. “I’m ready.” 

“Commencing simulation.” Suddenly, bugs began appearing, swarming towards Mara. Yeah, she’d get it this time. She was _She-Ra_ , after all.


	2. A-Typical Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thousand years ago, Etheria chose a hero: Mara, She-Ra of Etheria. With the Sword of Protection given to her by her people, the Eternians, later known as the 'First Ones,' she will embark on her journey to become the protector of Etheria. This story follows Mara through her early years as She-Ra, and delves a little deeper into the era of the First Ones.
> 
> Chapter two starts at the beginning of a normal day on Etheria for Mara, but new information brings a whole new meaning to her mission as She-Ra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I have done as much research as I can on the First Ones, Light Hope, and of course, Mara. Much of this story will be of my own, but all information from the show and the characters themselves are credited to the Crew-Ra and it's creator, Noelle! If you have any questions or comments about my interpretations, please let me know! I would love to hear your opinions!

_Etheria_ , the planet chosen to be colonized by the Eternians, was beautiful. It was so different from Mara’s home planet, so full of strange creatures, fascinating people, and _magic_ . She had come to Etheria two weeks before, so the planet was still so new and foreign to her. She had never seen a place so vibrant, so full of life. Though she hadn’t been able to explore much of Etheria, she had spoken to the people that lived in the Eternian colonies on the planet. They would tell her stories of the kingdoms and their princesses, of the vast oceans and the desolate wasteland they called the Crimson Waste. It was all so exciting, so _fascinating_ . If only she wasn’t stuck in the Crystal Castle training all day, _every day_.

Her people had chosen her to be She-Ra, Etheria’s guardian and hero. If she was meant to _protect_ Etheria, shouldn’t she know everything there was to know about it? There was only so much she could learn from the colonists, and the database that Light Hope had on Etheria was also limited. It didn’t make sense to her, but she wasn’t prepared to argue with her superiors.

After waking up and eating breakfast, which consisted of the extremely bland rations she was given before she was sent to Etheria, she headed from her ship to the Crystal Castle. The ship had landed next to the monument that the First Ones had built in honor of She-Ra. They hadn’t built it in Mara’s likeness, but maybe it was meant to resemble the She-Ra before her. Whoever it was, she admired it greatly. Placing a hand on the carved stone that made up the sword, she smiled. _She-Ra_. She’d never get over hearing that name.

Mara made her way to the Crystal Castle, admiring the forest the Etherians called the Whispering Woods. She could understand why they called it that, it was like the trees were speaking to her, beckoning her to travel deeper into the endless forest. She could feel the magic in the air, the woods were full of it. Sometimes she’d go into the woods just to get that feeling, though she’d always have to leave them again. Eventually, she could see the towering building that housed Light Hope through the trees. It was her training facility, her base of operations, and it was where she spent most of her time nowadays.

Moving to stand in front of the entrance, she said the password for what felt like the hundredth time in the last two weeks, “Eternia.” The writing began to glow as the door opened downwards, allowing her to enter the Castle. As she made her way to the center of the main room, Mara called out for her trainer. “Hey, Light Hope! I’m here!” She glanced around, waiting another moment before calling out again. “Light Hope? Hello?”

Suddenly, Light Hope appeared in front of her, startling her. “Hello, Mara. Are you ready to begin training?” Mara took a deep breath, “You _scared_ me. You almost gave me a heart attack.” Light Hope’s expression changed to one of concern, or at least, as concerned as an A.I.’s expression could be. “I apologize, Mara. Do you need medical attention?” Letting out a small laugh, Mara shook her head, “No, it’s just an expression. I’m okay.” Light Hope turned her head to the side, “An expression? I will add this to my memory bank.”

Brushing her hair back, Mara looked up at Light Hope, giving her a smile. “Please, never do that again.” Light Hope nodded, “I will make a note to never scare you again.”

Mara pulled the Sword of Protection from the strap that held it on her back, running her finger over the bright blue stone in the center of the hilt. She had recently learned that it was a _runestone_ , which was what the princesses of Etheria drew their magic from. That must have been why some of the Etherians called her “Princess of Power.” Something had pulled at the back of her mind since she’d learned about the stone. How could She-Ra have existed _before_ the sword if the sword itself was what controlled She-Ra’s power? Maybe the runestone was used in a different way? She didn’t know, and she assumed that she likely never would. As Light Hope would say, her mission was to study Etheria’s magic for the Heart of Etheria project, and anything else was not important.

Holding the sword up, Mara transformed into She-Ra, her whole body glowing with the power the sword gave her. “Okay, Hope. What’s the mission today?” Light Hope held up a hand, a hologram appearing in front of Mara. “You will be training in a simulation today against the army known as the Horde, an enemy of Eternia.” 

Mara had heard of the Horde before, but she’d thought they were only _stories_. “The Horde.. Is real?” Light Hope nodded, the hologram showing a series of images of the Horde’s clones and technology. “The Horde, led by Horde Prime, is a galactic empire designed of clones of the original Horde Prime. His armies travel from planet to planet, destroying civilizations. The Horde has been an enemy of Eternia for many years.”

It was hard to believe that the Horde was real. Mara had heard stories of the empire that destroyed universes since she was a _child_ , but she’d never thought it was real. “Is the Horde an imminent threat?” Mara’s voice was serious. If the stories she’d heard as a child were true, this was _bad_. Light Hope gave another nod, “Yes, they are a threat to Eternia and the entire universe. We are studying Etheria’s magic to better understand it in order to protect Etheria from the Horde.”

The Horde _was_ real. And she was sent to Etheria to protect it from them. Suddenly, the planet of Etheria became more than just her mission. She would defend this planet with her _life_ if she had to. This planet was home to so many people and creatures, so much magic and wonder. She would do her duty as Etheria’s hero, no matter the cost.

“Well, that is more than enough reason to kick all of their butts to me.” She didn’t like swearing, so that was the most threatening thing she could muster. “I’m ready, Light Hope.”

Immediately, the simulation of a battlefield appeared around her, Horde soldiers generating, surrounding her. This was her mission, her _destiny_ as She-Ra, and she would fulfill it. Mara smiled, holding her sword in the air. “For Etheria!”


	3. An Old Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thousand years ago, Etheria chose a hero: Mara, She-Ra of Etheria. With the Sword of Protection given to her by her people, the Eternians, later known as the 'First Ones,' she will embark on her journey to become the protector of Etheria. This story follows Mara through her early years as She-Ra, and delves a little deeper into the era of the First Ones.
> 
> In chapter three, we are introduced to Mara's childhood friend, Serenia, who has made it her mission to take Mara on her first adventure in Etheria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I have done as much research as I can on the First Ones, Light Hope, and of course, Mara. Much of this story will be of my own, but all information from the show and the characters themselves are credited to the Crew-Ra and it's creator, Noelle! If you have any questions or comments about my interpretations, please let me know! I would love to hear your opinions! Please enjoy!

“Good morning, sleepy-head! Rise and shine!”

Mara jolted, the disembodied voice scaring her out of a dream. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, trying to open them enough to see who it was. Before she could, the person’s arms wrapped around her tightly, giving her a hug so powerful, it felt like her lungs were being crushed. Only  _ one _ person gave her hugs like that. After letting out a laugh, Mara was finally awake enough to see the face of her childhood friend. “ _ Serenia _ ? Is that really you?” Mara scanned the other woman’s face, raising an eyebrow, “Did you change your hair?”

Serenia gave her a big smile, brushing her long white hair back from her face, “I just let it grow out a bit. Did you  _ really _ forget what I looked like? You must be getting old.” 

After just barely sneaking past Light Hope, Serenia had snuck her way into Mara’s room in her ship and found her oldest friend asleep peacefully. Mara hadn’t changed a bit, other than getting older since they had parted. It had only been about a year, but that was a long time when you spent it on a different planet, millions of miles apart from each other. Serenia had been stationed on Etheria since they’d first colonized the planet, and she had been planning their next venture into the northernmost region of Etheria when she’d gotten the news that her best friend had been chosen as the next She-Ra.

Mara slung her legs over the side of her bed as she stood, stretching her arms up in the air, “I am  _ not _ getting old. You’re the one that’s always making a big deal about how you’re seven months older than me.” She let her arms fall to her sides as she looked at her friend, a warm smile on her face. “It’s so good to see you,” Mara said, pulling Serenia in for another hug. 

It had felt like years since she’d seen her best friend, the person she’d grown up with on Eternia. Even when Mara had arrived on Etheria, she was told her childhood friend wasn’t there. She was leading an exploration of the vast desert that the Etherian’s called the ‘Crimson Waste,’ and wouldn’t be back for three weeks. A lot had changed since they had parted, but Serenia was still Serenia.

Letting her friend go, Mara opened her mouth to speak again, but Serenia held up a finger to stop her. “Before you ask, Light Hope doesn’t know I’m here. I snuck past her because we’re  _ escaping _ today.” She let out a comically evil laugh, taping her fingers together as if she were a villain in a storybook. Mara raised an eyebrow, “Where are we  _ escaping _ to? It better not be the Whispering Woods, I’ve gotten lost in there a million times already.” Serenia shook her head, keeping up her dramatic ‘evil’ act as she spoke in a not-so-menacing voice, “Oh, no, young Mara. We will be going to… Arxia!”

There was silence for a moment. 

“What’s Arxia?”

Serenia let out a loud sigh, placing her hand on Mara’s shoulder. “Oh, my dear friend. You have a  _ lot _ to learn.” Turning back towards the door to Mara’s room, Serenia began to walk out as she spoke. “You get changed, and I’ll be outside. Don’t let Light Hope see you or she’ll  _ know _ you’re ditching.” Mara gave her friend a nod, Serenia gave a wink in response, and closed the door behind her.

-

About 20 minutes had passed when Mara walked down the ramp of her ship, finding Serenia shooting her arrows into a target she’d carved into a nearby tree. After taking a breath, aiming carefully, and shooting her arrow directly into the center of the target, Serenia turned to Mara, “Took you long enough,  _ She-Ra _ .” Mara rolled her eyes, “You took three weeks to finally come see me, so I think you can let 20 minutes slide.” 

Slinging her bow over her shoulder, Serenia walked over to Mara, nudging her with her shoulder. In the daylight, Mara could really see her friend clearly. Her hair was much longer since they’d seen each other last, but her clothing was the same as always. Long blue and gold boots, white pants, a long sleeved blue shirt with gold cuffs on her forearms. Her brown eyes were always brought out by everything else she wore, they were her favorite feature, not just on herself, but everyone.

Waving a hand in front of Mara’s eyes, Serenia smiled down at her. She was at least 3 inches taller than Mara, which she’d held over her head since they were teenagers. Literally. “Hello? Etheria to Mara?” Shaking her head, Mara pushed the other woman’s hand away. “I’m here, just wondering when you got so good at archery.” Serenia smiled at the compliment, standing proudly with her arms across her chest, “You’re not the only one who got stronger. Now come on, let’s go.” Taking Mara’s hand, just like when they were children, Serenia led her into the Whispering Woods.

They spent the entirety of their journey to Arxia catching up, Serenia telling Mara stories of her travels all across Etheria, and Mara telling her what home had been like since she’d left Eternia. What they  _ hadn’t _ spoken about yet was She-Ra, but Mara knew it was coming. “So, tell me about _ She-Ra _ !” There it was.

Mara laughed, walking alongside her best friend as they made their way through the Whispering Woods. “I knew you were going to ask, but the real question is, what is there to tell?” Serenia stopped, her expression changing to one of comical confusion, “What do you mean? ‘What is there to tell’?! You’re  _ She-Ra _ , the legendary hero of Etheria! She’s all the Etherians can talk about!” She was right, the Etherians held She-Ra in the highest regard, though not many of them had seen the new She-Ra yet.

Sighing, Mara brought a hand up to the back of her neck, “Well, I don’t have all that much to tell. I turn into a huge blonde warrior lady with a sword, and then I train day and night in the Crystal Castle with Light Hope.” It sounded even more boring when she said it out loud, but it was true. She knew that she had to train in order to be the best She-Ra that she could be, the hero that Etheria deserved, but it was becoming more tedious with every passing day. “That’s all I’ve been doing for the past three weeks, the only other people I’ve seen are the colonists.”

Serenia’s expression softened, she knew that Mara hated being cooped up like that. She was always looking for an adventure, and being She-Ra definitely didn’t make that desire go away. “I’m sorry, Mar. But hey, you’ve got me now, and I plan on taking you on as many adventures as possible!” She gave her childhood friend a winning smile before turning back towards the direction they were going. “Speaking of  _ adventures _ .”

Jogging forward a bit, Serenia peeked out the tree line, making sure they were in the right place. An excited squeal left her mouth as she turned back to Mara. Waving her over, she held out her hand for Mara, who placed her hand in Serenias as she spoke. “Mara, She-Ra, I present to you..” She slowly pulled Mara out from the tree line, revealing a floating fortress surrounded by pink, fluffy clouds. A beautiful blue and purple sky, the moons quietly resting in the sky. “Arxia.”


	4. Arxia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thousand years ago, Etheria chose a hero: Mara, She-Ra of Etheria. With the Sword of Protection given to her by her people, the Eternians, later known as the 'First Ones,' she will embark on her journey to become the protector of Etheria. This story follows Mara through her early years as She-Ra, and delves a little deeper into the era of the First Ones.
> 
> Chapter four is a direct continuation of chapter three, and it takes us to Arxia, the now ruined First Ones citadel that Mystacor was built upon. Serenia and Mara do some reading on all the information the Eternians have gathered on Etheria and it's magic in the past year. As they read, they stumble upon some very mysterious information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I have done as much research as I can on the First Ones, Light Hope, and of course, Mara. Much of this story will be of my own, but all information from the show and the characters themselves are credited to the Crew-Ra and it's creator, Noelle! If you have any questions or comments about my interpretations, please let me know! I would love to hear your opinions!

“Wow..”

That was the only word Mara could muster when she took in the scenery before her. She had never seen anything like it, not even back on Eternia. The castle-like building was massive, it’s intricate design was beautiful even from a distance. The pink clouds floating around the island looked like the most comfortable place to sleep in the world, and the gentle, cool hues were more pleasing to the eye than any other combination of colors she’d ever seen.

“Amazing, huh?” Serenia had a dazzling smile on her face, her brown eyes focused on Mara as she watched her friend's reaction. “Out of  _ all _ the places I’ve been on this planet, this one is my favorite. Even before they built the citadel.” Serenia squeezed Mara’s hand as she pulled her further out of the woods, her opposite hand pointing towards the building. “That is where all of our operations are based, it’s our fortress that we keep all of our most valuable research and information on Etheria and it’s magic.”

Mara’s eyes began to sparkle, “It’s beautiful  _ and _ contains everything you know about Etheria?! I have to get in there!!” Mara began walking toward the island, letting go of Serenia’s hand, her eyes locked on the floating island above them. “Now hold on, Mara!”

Stopping in her tracks, Mara turned to her friend, “Why? Can’t we go?” Serenia gave her a nod, though her smile wasn’t as bright as before, “We can, but I can’t show you  _ everything _ . Unfortunately, a lot of our information is classified, even I don’t have access to some of it.” Mara noticed the look on Serenia’s face, it must have frustrated her that she was so high up in the project, but she still wasn’t high enough. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Mara smiled at her friend, “Hey, it’s okay. I don’t know the first thing about this planet, so any information you can give me is better than nothing.”

That seemed to cheer Serenia up, so much so that she took Mara’s hand again and headed towards the floating island in the distance. Mara could barely contain her excitement, she was  _ finally _ going to get some answers about Etheria and why she was here. Light Hope had told her that once she was ready, her true mission would be revealed, but she had to train in order to be ready for the responsibility. It didn’t make sense to her, how could she be ready if she didn’t know what she was training for? She had so many questions, and now, she felt as if Serenia was helping pull her out of the dark that Light Hope and their superiors had kept her in.

-

As soon as Mara and Serenia had set foot on the island, they began making their way towards the building quietly looming in the distance. She couldn’t help but let her eyes wander, watching people walk to and from smaller buildings on the island, the sun slowly moving through the sky as the moons took its place. It was the most magical place in the entire universe, or at least, out of the parts of the universe she’d seen.

They approached the door to the citadel, which was absolutely massive, Serenia giving a wave to the guards blocking the door. She stopped in front of the guards, giving them both a big smile. “Hey there! General Serenia requesting access.” One of the guards shot a questioning look at Mara, her eyes squirting before she turned back to Serenia. “Who is that?” Serenia’s smile turned into a smirk, placing one hand on her hip and using the other to gesture toward Mara. “This.. is She-Ra.”

Every person in the area stopped in their tracks, all eyes falling on Mara as she looked around. She had never gotten this kind of reaction before. She knew that She-Ra was important, that the people of Etheria revered her as their most powerful hero, but she hadn’t known that the Eternian’s felt the same, or even knew who she was. The silence was deafening, but the people weren’t looking at her out of judgement, but out of wonder. Had they really not known that there was a new She-Ra? The giant sword on her back hadn’t given that away?

The guard Serenia was speaking to gave her a quick nod, gesturing to the other beside her to let the two of them in. They stepped aside, and the door opened, revealing a long hallway with Eternian inscriptions all over the floors and walls. It was beautiful. The inside resembled the Crystal Castle, which wasn’t her favorite place, but this was  _ very _ different. There were people walking from doors positioned all around the room, some eyes drifting over Mara in passing as they went about their business. It was much more active than she’d imagined, the building seemed to be so gentle and calm in the distance, but it was all hustle and bustle on the inside.

“Do you want to keep staring? Or do you want to  _ learn _ ?” Serenia’s eyes shone as she spoke, her arms shooting above her head in a grand gesture that several people noticed. Mara reached up and pulled her arms back down, a soft smile on her face, “Let’s go learn before the entire place knows we’re here.”

A cheerful laugh fell from Serenia’s mouth as she turned, heading towards a door on their right. She led Mara down a hallway, around a few turns, and then to a door labelled “Archives” in their written language. Raising an eyebrow, Mara turned her head towards Serenia, “The Archives? Why here?” Another comical grin spread across Serenia’s lips as she spoke, her eyes sparkling. “If you’re going to learn all there is to know about Etheria, you have to start at the very beginning.”

-

The pair spent the next several hours reading files in the Archives. They read all about the princesses and their runestones, how they drew their power from the stones and it gave them their abilities. They read about the kingdoms all across Etheria, the numerous species that lived on the planet. Mara even decided to open a file all about the plant life of Etheria. It was all so fascinating, so different. But what stuck out to her the most was that magic flowed all throughout Etheria. The princesses could use the magic directly, but the rest was free to flow throughout the planet. It was incredible, and she could understand why her superiors were so interesting in finding out how the magic worked.

After what felt like an eternity, Mara closed the file she had been reading on the Archive screen in front of her, her hands reaching up to rub her eyes. She turned to look at Serenia, whose brows were furrowed in concentration as she read. Mara moved over to her screen, curious as to what she was so concentrated on. “What’re you readi-” Serenia’s hand snapped to Mara’s mouth, cutting her off before she could finish her question. Mara pushed her hand away, arms crossing over her chest with a  _ hmph _ , “That wasn’t nice..” She feigned frustration until she realized that Serenia either wasn’t paying, or she just didn’t care. Mara decided to read along from Serenia’s place in the file.

_...as of three weeks prior to this report, we have sent General Serenia as the head of the exploration and colonization efforts, her pursuits have garnered great success for the Eternian people and our data on the planet of Etheria. We have begun fitting the planet with our technology, preparing the planet for our ultimate goal: The Heart of Etheria Project. _

Mara paused, she didn’t recognize that project name. In fact, she’d never heard it at  _ all. _ She turned her head to see Serenia’s eyes looking back into hers, confusion in them as she assumed her friend could see in her own eyes. “Do you know what the Heart of Etheria Project is?” Mara shook her head, “I was hoping you would. You’re the General, after all.”

Serenia’s brows remained furrowed in confusion as she closed the file and searched for the name in the Archives. If  _ she  _ didn’t know about this project, then it was likely that no one on the entire planet knew about it. “Maybe it’s just the name they have for our colonization and fitting the planet with our tech?” Serenia gave a slow nod, a hand moving to scratch her head. “Maybe, but shouldn’t I have at least heard that name before?” Mara gave her a nod. “There aren’t any other files in the Archive that have that name in them. None at all.” This was  _ really _ weird. The fact that neither the General nor She-Ra knew anything about this must have meant that it was  _ beyond _ classified.

Suddenly, Mara got an idea. “Light Hope told me that I wasn’t ready to learn about my true purpose for being here on Etheria, maybe this is what it is.” Serenia turned to her friend, a smile creeping back to her lips. “You think so? That would explain why  _ I  _ don’t know anything about the project, it must be meant for She-Ra.” Mara nodded, that made sense to her. Light Hope must have had the only database on the planet that had information about the Heart of Etheria Project and what it was. 

Serenia nudged Mara, her smile growing ever so slightly, “You know what this means, right?” Mara winced. She knew what it meant, and she  _ also _ knew that Serenia wouldn’t take no for an answer. Taking a breath, Mara nodded, her friends' smile growing wide with excitement. “Interrogation time!”

Interrogating Light Hope?  _ This will be a  _ **_disaster._ **


	5. Interrogation?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thousand years ago, Etheria chose a hero: Mara, She-Ra of Etheria. With the Sword of Protection given to her by her people, the Eternians, later known as the 'First Ones,' she will embark on her journey to become the protector of Etheria. This story follows Mara through her early years as She-Ra, and delves a little deeper into the era of the First Ones.
> 
> Chapter 5 is a direct continuation of chapter 4, and we follow Mara and Serenia on their journey back to the Crystal Castle to interrogate Light Hope on anything she knows about the Heart of Etheria Project. Will they find what they're looking for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I have done as much research as I can on the First Ones, Light Hope, and of course, Mara. Much of this story will be of my own, but all information from the show and the characters themselves are credited to the Crew-Ra and it's creator, Noelle! If you have any questions or comments about my interpretations, please let me know! I would love to hear your opinions!

It had been many years since they’d interrogated someone together. It wasn’t an  _ official _ interrogation, but the two of them had decided to take it upon themselves to figure out who had stolen the last cookie from Serenia’s mother’s fresh batch. They were seven, and Serenia’s younger brother had crumbs all over his shirt, but it was still fun for them. They’d interviewed everyone, even Serenia’s pet lizard, and it was one of Mara’s fondest memories. This, however, would be  _ very _ different.

Light Hope was an AI, a program designed to hold information that pertained to She-Ra and to train the legendary warrior for the path given to her by the Eternian people. But, Mara knew there was more to her than that. She had gotten information out of her before, specifically about the Horde. She hadn’t tried reprogramming Light Hope, or turning off her main power source. She’d  _ convinced _ Light Hope to tell her. While that was true, it wasn’t easy by any means. To expect her to give up information that not even  _ Serenia _ knew about would be ridiculous. Even still, there was no stopping Serenia when she’d made up her mind.

“I’m telling you, it won’t work.” Mara sighed, trying to convince her friend not to waste her time. Serenia was walking fast, always ten steps ahead of Mara. She was determined, that much was clear, but Mara was sure there was more to it than just curiosity. The white-haired woman had been excited for the first several minutes of their journey back to the Crystal Castle, but she was quieter now. “We have to try. This is important.”

“Why?” Mara was sure she knew the answer, but she had to ask. It wasn’t unlike Serenia to get fixated on something, however, this wasn’t like her excited fixation. This seemed like.. anxiety. Suddenly, Serenia stopped, causing Mara to freeze in her tracks as well. Brown eyes met grey eyes, and her friend took a deep breath. “The more I think about it, the more odd it is that our superiors wouldn’t even tell  _ me _ about this project. Why would they put me in charge of colonization and fitting Etheria with our technology and  _ not _ tell me what our true purpose here is.”

Serenia had always been the kind of person that needed a purpose, a mission, a goal. Mara had never seen her happier than the day she was told she was being sent to Etheria and leading the mission there. She liked to have everything in front of her, to know every detail and execute it perfectly. Mara was sure that to Serenia, this wasn’t just an obstacle in her way. It meant more than that. “Okay, then we try.” Serenia’s furrowed brows softened, the corner of her mouth pulling up into a lopsided smile, “That’s what I like to hear.”

They spent the rest of their journey, which had felt longer than it actually was, discussing how they would get the information out of Light Hope. Mara didn’t want to tamper with her programming or any of the technology that powered the Crystal Castle. It was the only place that held all the information needed for her mission and her destiny as She-Ra, she would just be like a child with a sword without Light Hope. Serenia suggested they try appealing to her morals, but it didn’t seem like Light Hope  _ had _ morals. She was a program, after all. They settled on letting Mara do the talking, though she knew that wouldn’t last long at  _ all _ .

As they approached the clearing where the Crystal Castle and its surrounding buildings were located, Mara began to see the gentle blue glow of the Castle through the trees. She could almost  _ feel _ the hum of the mass amounts of Eternian technology in the area, it was both anxiety inducing and comforting at the same time. Pulling back a tree branch, Mara stepped forward into the clearing, turning to look back at her friend. “We have finally arrived!”

Serenia’s mouth was hanging open, her brown eyes sparkling with wonder. It hadn’t occurred to Mara until now that Serenia hadn’t ever  _ seen _ the Crystal Castle, most people probably hadn’t. It was placed in the woods so that it would be secluded and hard to find for just anyone, so that nothing would happen to the hub of every bit of information pertaining to She-Ra. Even still, it was hard to believe that even the General hadn’t seen it before. Mara’s lips turned up into a smile, a gentle laugh escaping them. “Cool, huh?”

“Cool?! This is  _ incredible _ !” Serenia darted forward into the clearing, holding her arms out at her sides, “They gave you a whole castle?!” She turned to face Mara, who had moved to stand beside her, grey eyes fixed on the Castle. “Castle is just the name for it, it’s not  _ that _ impressive.” Mara couldn’t help but notice Serenia’s smile, her eyes bright, hair strewn about, framing her face. She hadn’t really gotten a chance to  _ look _ at her friend, but even after all the time they’d spent apart, Serenia hadn’t changed a bit. It was comforting, she made Mara feel safe in a world she still barely knew. She couldn’t be more grateful.

Mara was brought out of her thoughts as Serenia began walking towards the Castle, her hands cupping her cheeks as her eyes scanned every inch of the outside of the building. “Mara, you  _ train _ in here every day? I would  _ kill _ to train here and not back at base camp!” The brunette followed behind her friend, arms crossing over her chest as she spoke, “At least you train with other people and not robots or simulations.” Turning around, Serenia’s eyes landed on Mara’s, her eyebrow raising, “Are you  _ kidding me _ ?! I would take that over training with the same people every single day.”

Shaking her head, Mara approached the entrance to the Castle. She took a moment to glance back at Serenia, who was watching her in anticipation. Turning back to the door, Mara smiled. “Eternia.” The writing on the door began to glow, the ground opening up below them as Mara turned, her hand gesturing down into the Castle. “Shall we?”

Serenia let out an excited squeal before darting down into the passageway, Mara laughing after her. She walked at her own pace, her hand tracing the walls as she made her way towards the center of the Castle. Maybe Mara didn’t give the place enough credit, it  _ was _ beautiful, but it was hard to appreciate it the same way Serenia did. It was hard to appreciate She-Ra the same way everyone else did, they weren’t  _ her _ . Even still, that didn’t change Mara’s dedication. She’d vowed to take on the responsibilities of being She-Ra, and she’d do it the best she could. Maybe she didn’t give She-Ra enough credit either.

As Mara stepped into the main room, her eyes landed on Serenia, whose attention was glued to her surrounding. The gentle blue, pink, and purple tones of the Castle’s walls and ceiling sparkled, and Serenia’s brown eyes shone as she turned around and around. Her mouth hung open, a smile on her face bigger than Mara had seen since they were children. She laughed gleefully, turning to face Mara as she spoke. “This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!”

Gazed locked on Serenia, Mara could only get a few words out, her lips pulled into a soft smile. “Yeah, it is.”

The other woman was about to respond when Light Hope suddenly appeared, her voice echoing throughout the room. “Welcome, Mara. I have been waiting for you. You missed your training session this morning.” Mara sighed in response, “I know, but it was for a good reason. Light Hope, this is General Serenia. We need your help.” Light Hope took a moment before responding, scanning her database for the name General Serenia. “Ah, yes. General Serenia, head of the Eternian colonization of Etheria.” Turning to Serenia, Light Hope nodded, “You have been recognized as an authorized presence here, what can I do for you?”

Before Mara could speak, Serenia stepped forward, her head tilted slightly upwards to meet Light Hope’s gaze. “We need to know about some information that is classified beyond even my level of clearance. We wanted to know if you have any information on the Heart of Etheria project.” Mara winced, just like she’d predicted, Serenia dove straight in as she always did. She was expecting Light Hope to respond, to say  _ something _ , but she didn’t. Light Hope was  _ never _ completely silent like this.

Suddenly, the gentle blue glow from the walls turned into a powerful red, the expression on Light Hope’s face changing dramatically. Mara instantly knew that this was bad.  _ Very _ bad. Moving to Serenia’s side, she took her friend's hand, her opposite hand reaching to the sword strapped to her back. “Light Hope, no!”

The voice that echoed through the Castle was not the Light Hope that Mara knew, something was wrong. She barely had to think before the voice boomed throughout the room, “Unauthorized presence detected. Initiating security protocol.”

  
This was  _ extremely _ bad.


End file.
